Good to see more recognition and positive action for the issue of how our justice system in Los Angeles cares for mentally ill inmates.

“Over the last month, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and Sheriff Jim McDonnell have pledged sweeping reforms of the justice system’s chronically poor treatment of mentally ill inmates. Advocates for the mentally ill and homeless say that the entire county system is broken. Inmates such as Carey with severe psychological diagnoses repeatedly fall through the cracks and land back on the streets, even when housing is available, they say.”

‘”Too often, homeless people with significant disabilities and health problems are just dumped back on the street, from which they cycle through the police stations, courts, jails and then back to the street — all at great cost to taxpayers as well as the health of poor people with disabilities,”‘ said retired UCLA professor Gary Blasi, a longtime Los Angeles homelessness researcher and advocate.